Siempre
by beautifulendings
Summary: Set after Twilight. It's summer after senior year. Suze has a big decision to make. And an awful workplace.
1. The whole interment tradition

_This is my first chance at writing and actually posting it. Go easy on me. But not too easy. Meh._

**Chapter I-The whole interment tradition**

_You were supposed to grow old. Reckless, unfrightened, and old,  
you were supposed to grow old. -Return, Ok go_

_**Paul's POV**_

This is hardly the story you want to hear.

Villain. Antagonist. _Wimp_.

Maybe. Maybe they're true. And that's probably the worst part. Death somehow restored me. Two deaths in one year.

It all began at exactly 3:20 P.M. when I returned home. I returned home to Grandfather's death. I'd like to romanticize his death. That he died in some great shifting procedure.

Please.

He couldn't even _die_ elegantly. He stopped breathing. And before you think it, don't. I had nothing to do with his death. I gained nothing from it, except soggy shoes from the over-watered grass while attending the funeral. And a sobbing brother.

Dearest Jack. While in the church, he restrained his sniffles and occasionally wiped inadvertent tears with his sleeve. Then it was the four of us: Jack, the nurse, the priest, and I, to deposit the body into the earth. Sounds like the start to some pretty bad joke.

Which by the way seems rather pointless; I mean spending that much money to encage a rotting body, ah, tradition. Tradition can always be an excuse for lunacy.

And that was the end of Grandfather. And there we were. One grandson sobbing for the idea of losing a loved one he never knew; the other contemplating the whole interment tradition. The nurse was nodding his head to each syllable of the priests, probably wondering when he'd be called for the reading of Gramp's will.

Well, you can see how the rest of my family felt about the funeral. I'm sure you're disappointed with my unsociably correct boredom. See, you crow, this is exactly why Paul is a grade a-jerk. Dear old Gramps—the man who believed I was Satan's incarnation. There's nothing like family.

**_Suze's POV_**

I don't think I've ever been this happy. Ever. I mean, I should be writing fluffy poems in a journal about birds. And raindrops. And boyfriends who drive to see you during the summer before you go to college. A boyfriend who miraculously came back to life after 150-some years of death and haunting.

Jesse, Jesse, your bones were rotting, but then we met, and you were glowing!

Come to think of it, that'd be one gross poem.

A boyfriend who should have picked me up thirty minutes ago. He was away from college for the summer and promised to take me to our senior party. I sat in my living room waiting, in the heat of summer, sweating from his absence. I'm trying not to act worried, because in spite of the longevity of our relationship, and his willingness to speak with my parents, my mom's worried.

Ah! The doorbell!

I raced down the stairs and threw the door open. Right before my mother could come near the door and reinstate the "rules". I think the longer Jesse and I are together, the longer the rule list becomes. I grabbed his arm, and began to pull him towards the car. He just stood in place, his eyebrow lifted in amusement. God, he smelled good.

"Jesse!" My mother cooed walking towards the door. "Gotta go, mom. We're late." If he wasn't leaving, I for sure wasn't sticking around for rule number 12: if things start to get sticky, pull out a plastic-ky.

Yeah. They rhyme. Did I forget to mention that?

At last, we were headed towards the beach party. Jesse pulled the car into gear, before taking that same hand and holding mine over the stick shift. "How's Father Dom?" I was greedily studying his fingers.

"Dying," he replied softly. I dropped his hand and did a 180 to face him.

"What!" Jesse smiled. "I am only kidding, _boba_."

"Funny. So funny I might spend the rest of the night flirting with all the hot surfers I see." I stared out the window in mock anger.

When I glanced back I saw the wind blowing his dark hair in majestic waves; his shirt was ruffling. He filled the shirt completely, the tan contrasted with the light blue he wore. There was a hint of a smile in his face, and all of him sent potent signals to my body that he was male, he was gorgeous and most importantly, he was _all_ mine. My favorite part of the aurora of Jesse was that he now had a smell to him. He smelled of soap and shaving cream.

But lets face it, what **don't** I like about this man?

We parked and stared out at all of my senior class, rampaging on the beach. "Party time." I smiled.

**_Paul's POV_ **

So I was on my fifth beer. I think.

The full moon glimmered in the cloudless sky, shimmering down on all the gyrating bodies. Some girl had her hands around my neck. The culmination of the huge crowd of dancing seniors on the sand had worked up a general sweat. My skin turned icy cold when random bimbo number five's shoulder went below my view. She had arrived.

I felt her every time I turned around. Green luminous eyes watching me, seeping in my soul and spitting mine back out. _Maybe five wasn't such a good idea._

Her _beloved_ significant other had left her to go speak with Father Dom. Yes, you heard me right. Father Dom. And I lost her to…Jesse? Man, I need to work on my kissing…I mean, seriously…what else can it be? But I **never** miss an opportunity. And this was one.

"So a black dress, huh? Are you in mourning?" Suze looked at me with a panic in her eyes. She knew the chemical affect of the two of us together. Our chemistry was an atomic bomb that had only one purpose: release, and in the process it destroyed everything in the way of that purpose.

"Look Paul, I heard about your grandfather…" She swirled the ice in her now empty glass with nervous energy.

"Oh Yeah? How special" Sarcasm on my part.

"Well you know," she hesitated, and then placed a hand on my arm. "I'm sorry. I truly am, he made a few mistakes…" Her eyebrows lifted and she stared at me poignantly. Her hand on my arm stirred heat in me, taking all of my attention.

I "tried" the friendship thing with her junior year, tried being the operative there. Following that I tried ignoring her existence. And then when the drinking started, and the parties, I still remembered those eyes. I'd wake from my drunken stupor with cold chills from the haunting memory of the one person who meant something to me, staring at me with longing but insurmountable disapproval.

I shifted my arm so her hand fell off. "Seems insanity runs in the family, and what am I doing? I'm giving myself a few years before the total ostracism from my family." I laughed sarcastically at that and continued. "Now that I think about it, ostracism from my family, not such a bad idea. Should have claimed the mediator bit earlier, just liked the money too much."

Her eyes connected with mine and I stumbled into her. We landed with her back to the bar and me with both arms surrounding her. I felt the blood rushing through my veins, pounding in my ears and something in my mind went very loudly, Ping! Her hand lifted and held my chin.

"Paul…you understand. I needed you this year. But Jesse's my true love. I was told that by someone who knew what I was. There's no way she was wrong…" She was blathering. Bumbling along in a sea of words, and I was sinking towards the lighthouse from which the words were shinning. I was going to kiss her.

**_Suze's POV_**

His face swayed towards mine. God knows his body need not do any swaying; he was already pressed against me. I think I might have kissed him, but when he was about an inch away I smelled alcohol. In his breath, his clothes, his lips. I wouldn't be surprised if it somehow had gotten in his hair.

"You're drunk," I hissed.

"All part of the charm," but the swaying had stopped and a small furrow appeared on his brow. I crossed my arms, and glared. It was at that moment Jesse returned, and stared confusedly at Paul and I. Paul drew close to my ear and Jesse and I both tensed.

He seemed about to whisper something in my ear, but hesitated. A random bimbo took that moment to attach her to his side and beg for more dancing, aka sex with clothes on.

Jesse came and kissed me softly on the lips. I felt tingles all over when he does that. "Let's dance." It was a playful order, and now he was the one pulling me along. As soon as we found a spot of the sand near the gyrating crowd a slow song began. I looked up into his liquid eyes; a child-like smile lit his face.

"You just requested that song, didn't you?" He just pulled me closer and kissed my neck softly. His touch raised goose bumps all over me. "Smooth mister, real smooth." But I wasn't complaining. I didn't bother to glance back. I could feel his eyes scorching our backs.

The bimbo pulled on Paul. "Paul, wanna drink?"

"No."

Bimbo paused, then brightened. "Wanna leave?" His eyes finally left their perusal of the couple on the floor. The anger in his eyes made her nervous, even through the haze of alcohol. He took her arm and with powerful strides yanked her through the crowd towards his car.

"Why not."

_AN: My first attempt. I'm all ears for good or bad feedback._


	2. Cold Feet

_So forgive me, please. The whole tone, point of view, everything changed in this chapter. But I'm going to keep it omniscient narrator throughout the rest of the story. Meaning it goes into every character's thoughts and isn't so narrow. Thought it'd be easier this way.I just didn't like the format of the story before. _

_All this is during the summer after Suze and Paul's senior year._

**Chapter II- Cold Feet**

_And I feel so mean, I feel in between  
'Cause I'm about to give you away- Ex-girlfriend, No doubt_

**_Still night of the same party_**

Jesse found her sitting on the dock, shoes off, legs swinging over the incoming waves. Before he could even touch her shoulder she murmured, "I always feel you. Even before it's realistic to know you're there, I do." Her blood red painted toenails dipped into the ocean and out, indecisive in what position to rest. There is a quiet rhythm to him and I, she thought—an unspoken peace.

He knew, at once, something was wrong. Her eyes were downcast, and even as he sat beside her, fingers soothingly making figures to her back, they remained contemplative. "_Querida_," his low baritone voice tickled her bare shoulder and ear, as he leaned his head against the side of her face. That timbre and word, the two things used only for her was her undoing. The anguish of what was to be said made her sink into his warmth and pull her legs from the cold water.

"I've made a decision. Finally. About the future. My future." He studied her face. "I'm going back to New York." A small smirk fleetingly graced Jesse's face before disappearing. His expression chilled her to the bone, because all she could see from it was Paul. And that overwhelming thought was tucked away deep in some crevice of her mind.

"So you're taking a year off, then returning to college? I hardly think your parents would approve of this Susannah." He had moved away from her.

"No, I'm going to a college there," Suze pulled a small brochure from her pocket, it was crinkled and her sweaty palms were not helping the state of the brochure any. "Look, I mean, doesn't it look interesting? Lots of majors for an undecided, and plus instant roommate in Gina. What more could a college freshman want?"

He didn't bother to unfold the brochure but held it in a tight fist and stared blankly, angrily into the night. "What about a boyfriend? No—don't bother answering that one." He slipped his fingers around hers. "I don't understand this, _querida_." His deep eyes were begging for an explanation.

She sighed. "My home is New York. Sure I love my family and you, but home, home is…" He finished, "Home is where you make it. Home is the place where everyone you love is existing."

"Could you leave here?" She bit her lip. Trick question, but so to the point. She knew she had him. "No, …you….no." he replied softly.

"See?" She said poignantly. "But I can. And I think that means something significant..something.."

"Hey, hey Jesse!" A beefed up jock from the senior class waved his arms at Jesse from the sand. "Dude, we need another guy for sand volleyball. You in?" Jesse stood. "Not at …"

Suze smiled at him slowly. "Go on Jesse, we have the whole summer to hash this out." "Susannah," She frowned at him.

"You heard him, the jocks need you. Now go make your woman proud. Expend some testosterone. Get rid of stress. Prove your manhood." He kissed the crown of her head softly and flashed a blush-inducing smile her way before running towards the ultimate game of volleyball.

Suze picked up her shoes and walked back. She sifted through the crowd in search of Ceecee. She found her in a line for the restroom and snickered at the annoyed look on her face. "Restroom line, hm? You know if you really had that bad, there's trees across the street."

Her eyes snapped at Suze. It was at that moment that Adam appeared. "What's this about using trees? Ladies, I for one would be happy to be your friendly guide to the _pleasures_ being alone in a forest can bring."

"Yeah it'd be great. You'd lead us into the forest, assured and cocky, and then when we realized it was nighttime, you'd pee in your Hanes underwear and hide under the leaves crying like a baby."

Suze's eyes lit up with Ceecee's examination. "Hanes, huh? Good to know Adam doesn't go commando, _Ceecee_." With that her white friend began to murmur and Adam just wrapped an arm around each girl smirking.

**_The morning after_**

Paul's head hurt. He grimaced against the bright light of the morning as he slowly searched for the right key to his door. _What color is that stupid key? Go in, go… _Paul grew to a certain amount of frustration that he slammed his fist against the door, and it opened. He smirked at that. _I even have the touch with doors. _Yeah, his angel whispered quietly, that or you just need to buy a better lock. He snickered quietly to himself.

He took a step in and become at once frozen. The last person on Earth he expected or wanted to see stood before him in all her glory. She threatened the air out of his lungs and immediately made him wonder what substance he smelled like and how quickly he could get it off himself before she noticed. He immediately began to peel off his t-shirt and headed towards the laundry room at a rapid pace.

"Paul Njord Edric Slater the third, stay put."

"What do you want, mother?" He threw his shirt into an empty laundry basket. Her heels clicked against the wood floor and she warily moved through the hallway following him.

"You were accepted to Harvard. You somehow seemed to maintain a decent GPA, though not from your own brilliance, but rather your fear. Reflect upon it again, and summon up enough effort to pass through one more obligation." At some point in their conversation his teeth began to grind. His bloodshot eyes, the similar copy of the woman standing before him, flickered over her own face. She looked vaguely uncomfortable, but somehow totally condescending. He had no idea how she did it. Her expensive shoe tapped compulsively as he snatched the paper from her fingers.

Anderson living

_It's like home, but better. We serve…_

"I already have a job, mother." He tried to place the flyer back into her manicured fingers.

"Who said anything about a job? You are scheduled to volunteer there Mondays, Wednesday and Saturdays from 9A.M.-2P.M. You will go, Paul. Do not think there is any excuse, familial relations has no meaning to your father and I. Just remember Dr. Slaski."

Her heels tapped as she walked forcefully towards the door. She turned back to look at her son leaning against the laundry room door jam, the said paper lying on the floor. Her lips slathered in red lipstick pursued then opened.

"Wondering about the will?"

He had to laugh at that. "Oh, please fill me in. I'm dying to see how the old bastard got out of this one."

She shared in his mirth for a moment. "He managed to give all of his money to some random occult group of some sort. Started with an S I believe. This house will be destroyed in a week, better start packing."

She swung open the door. "Regarding your smell—hear this. You get caught by the police and again the tradition stands— familial relations has no meaning."

He sneered. "Oh, mother, just when I was thinking we might hug goodbye."

And with a slam of a door, she was out of his life again. He marched towards the liquor cabinets and pulled out the most expensive looking wine. Every inch of his skin was on fire. And now, he had the itch. There would be no stopping until the itch was under control. He threw the bottle at the refrigerator and pulled out another bottle. He was lost in the sensation of anger and hate and destruction, continuing to throw out the contents of his grandfather's entire liquor cabinet.

He shivered and fell to the ground with a new bottle of vodka in hand. He took a long swig and felt the alcohol burn down his esophagus. The itch had left him completely alone to a destroyed kitchen. "Family obligations. My fear. How lovely of her to remind me."

It had been long since the itch had come upon him. Following the itch had always been _that_ memory that followed— a regurgitated dream. Among the glass and the odd smell of all the combined liquors assembling on the floor a small piece of paper fluttered to the floor.

"Who am I to break tradition?" The memory darkened the room and sent him to a place he had no need to go.

Paul was running again.

It was a long tunnel surrounded in glass to each side. In mid stride, he fell to the ground. Slowly rising he gazed into the windows; on the right side of the tunnel water sloshed against the window. Through the murky water he saw him, his brother, Denton in his crib.

His body was sucked inside the scene. And then, Paul was back in his parent's mansion, only three years old. It was Christmas and the tiny toddler room was fully decorated for just the occasion. He went towards the crib and poked a hand through the bars. A tiny hand rapped around his own. The room smelled of baby powder and life.

Two voices outside the room grew louder.

"I want to move on, _shifter_. I've told you that before. I've been here for a year now! A year! I think you're lying to me that you cannot find the information about my murder."

A strong deep voice replied. "You know nothing."

Dristan began to suck on Paul's fingers. The voices seemed to be coming closer towards Dristan's room.

"I warn you," the haggard voice continued. "You've forced my existence on this planet long enough. It is only fair I pay you back for your _good_ deed."

The door to the nursery abruptly opened and Paul stared upon a middle age man, who was quite obviously dead. The man all at once was near the crib grinning glibly at Paul, before lifting his brother. Paul struggled against the man's leg. "'Dats my brother!"

The man swiped at Paul, and he quickly found himself sucked inside the tunnel staring through the glass at the scene in horror. His tiny body was lying on the floor unconscious, and the ghost was chocking his young brother. His grandfather came into the room, and Paul found himself sighing in relief. It would be all fine now.

"Put him down, Jason."

The baby was writhing and crying loud sobs. "My murder for his. That should give me vengeance."

And then there was silence.

**_Suze's house same day_**

Suze scrabbled through her room throwing clothes and shoes. Her lovely step-brother yelled at her from the bottom of the stairs. "Hurry up Suze! I, am not going to be late on my first day!"

She snarled at her closet. "Dress code policy—Only black closed-toe shoes. More hours than I could ever want. Super. Fantastic. And I start on a Monday to top it all off. Who picked this job out?"

"SIIIIIMON!"

She threw another pair out. "That's right, that would be me. Good going sister. Come on black closed toe shoes. Be a dear, appear." She arrived at the final pair of shoes in her closet.

"Gaaaaahhhh!" She screamed. Brown closed toe shoes. She could've sworn she had black. And that meant only one thing. Borrowing a pair from her mother. If the outfit was bad enough, now she was going to be wearing a pair of older women type shoes —a size too small.

She shoved them on her feet and winced racing down the stairs.

Brad arrived at her work place in record time slamming on the brakes at the front entrance. Apparently creating quite a scene for when Suze stepped out of the car all eyes were on her filled with curiosity. She glared at Brad, and he shrugged. "At least now you'll have something to talk about."

With that he zoomed away. She sighed staring up at the sign. "Ready or not here I am Anderson living."

_There you go my lovelies. This chapter is occurs late in the night of that same party and the day after._


End file.
